Fish machine



. Dec. 8, 1942. l.. cHRlsTmNsr-:N 2,304,337

FI SH MACHINE Dec. 8, 1942. A. L.. CHRISTIANSEN I 2L304337 FISH MACHINEFiled sept. Y, 19:57 3 sheets-sheet 2 J6 m5 f E o l o 45 f ATTORNEY De8,1942- A. L. cHR-lsTlASEN I 2,304,337

v FISH MACHINE v Filed sept. 7, 1937 s sheets-sheet' s ATTRNEY PatentedDec. 8, '1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISH MACHINE Andrew L.Christiansen, Willowbrook, Calif.

Application September 7, 1937, Serial No. 162,581 25 claims. (C1. 17-3)My present invention relates to fish machines and particularly tomachines for preparing sardines, or the like, for canning.

An `important object of this invention is to v provide novel, simple,and efcient means of removing the heads and entrails of sardines, orsimilar fish, after the heads have been partially severed. i

Another important object of this invention is to provide novel andsimple means of further extracting the entrails when the heads areremoved.

An object also is the provision of novel and simplemeans to facilitateand aid the removal of the entrails in connection with each of theaforementioned means.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a machine ofthis class which may be easily adjusted so that the fish may be cut tovarious lengths to suit cans of various sizes.

A still further important object is the provision of a novel means ofmounting cutters sothat they may be easily shifted to various positionsfor adjustment and cutting; and in connection therewith novel Vmeans ofadjusting the sh supporting conveyors relative to the cutters.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, I havedevised a sardine machinehaving certain novel features of construction,combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, as will behereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and tothe characters of reference thereon, which form a part of thisapplication, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my machine in its preferred form ofconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevationshowing the means of.partially severing the heads of the fish, and the means for removingthe entrails, as well as the means for cuttingthe sh into desiredlengths;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary transverse sections taken at 4-4 and 5 5of Fig. 3 showing the head severing and entrail removing means; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View showing the principalfeatures of my machine.

My sardine machine is preferably constructed as a double machine and ismounted on a frame This machine has a conveyor A at each of the `longsides. Eachof these conveyors, in one form, consists of at least foursmall conveyors made Cil adjacent brackets of i adjacent links.

up of continuous synchronized link belts 2, 3, 4, and 5,beltV 5 beingoutermost, and belts 2, 3, and 4 being consecutively spaced inwardly.The belts 2, 3, and 4 are mounted, at the front and rear ends, onsprockets 6 and l, which in turn are mounted on shafts 8 and 9 at thefront and rear ends of the frame. The rear shaft 9 is driven by asprocket II which is driven by a chain I2 from a sprocket I3 ontheintermediate shaft I4 at the top of the machine. This shaft isconnected by gears .l5 and |5a to the main shaft I6 which is driven by amotor I'I through chain I3.

The belt 5 is shorter than the others, extending with itsrear `end shortVof the rear or discharge end .of the others. `The latter Yend extendsover a small sprocket 2| which is mountedlon a shaft 22 driven similarto the sprocket v1 and shaft 9, through a chain 23 from the shaft I4.

These belts consist of links 26 having outwardly extending brackets,providing pockets between These pockets Vextend transversely and arealined with similar pockets in adjacent belts. The brackets of the belt5 are preferably longer so as to attain, at their outer ends, greaterrelative speed, as the brackets, which form paddles, are directeddownwardly over the small sprocket 2|, to cause a whipping action ofsaid outer ends, as will be explained hereafter.

The sh,` which in this instance are sardines, are dumped into longreceptacles 3| which are located at the opposite sides of the frameimmediately outwardly from the `conveyors or link belts 5 and near thefront end of the machine. These vfish may be laid by attendants into thepockets ofthe conveyors with their bellies downwardly, and with theheads in the pockets of the belts 5 and the main body portions inthepockets of the belts 2, 3, and 4.A

On the shaft I6 is mounted a head severing means B which is carried byswingingframe 4| pivotally mounted on this shaft. On the free end of theframes 4| is a cutter shaft 42 which is driven by a chain 43 from theshaft I6. On the ends of the shaft 42 are secured circular cutters 44,the cutting edge of each offwhich extends and operates between the pairof link belts 2 and 5 at the opposite sides of the machine. The cuttersextend downwardly such a distance that they cut only through the thickback bone part of the fish, which lie with their bellies downwardly inthe pockets. Near the free end of the framel is preferably a stop in theform of a chain 45, which limits the low position of the frame il andthe cutters d@ relative to the frame l.

Each of the cutters llt is spaced back from the l aforementioned end ofthe belt 5 so that the heads of the fish are partly severed before theyare wholly separated from the bodies by the paddles of the conveyor belt5. Behind and in linewith each of the cutters ifi is a fish retainerplate dii, which is placed on edge and mounted on the outer edge of abridge plate tl located imrnediately over the top of the belt 2.' Theplate t6 retains the bodies of the fish in the pockets of the belts 2,3, and l when the heads are struck and separated from the bodies by thepaddles of the belt 5. The bridge plate il holds the fish in the pocketsof the conveyors 2, 3, and li, at thetop, at .least until the tail endsof the-fish aresevered as will be later described, and also for otherpurposes to be described. Y Sipaced slightly from and beyond thedownwardly directed portion of the belt 5 is a guard 43 which preventsthe heads from being thrown by the paddles when severed from the bodiesof the fish.

Spaced backwardly from the head severing and removing means, that is,progressively with respect to the moving conveyor is an Ventrailremoving means C. Such means consists primarily of a circular brush 5l,mounted on an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyorbelts, and is so located that the peripheral portion engages, fromabove, a ledge or rod 52 .over which may hang partly removed entrails ofsh carried in the pockets of belt 2. This ledge is arranged n the outerside of the channel 53 through which the belt passes. This ledge or rodis preferably a long roller which is rotatably mounted at its ends injournal brackets d carried on the outer side of the channel. As theoverhangingr entrails are moved along by the conveyor belts, the brush5l engages the same, pressing the same against the roller 52 and therebydrawing the same from the fish bodies.

The brush '5l is mounted on a shaft 56 which is connected by gears 5l toa shaft 5d which is driven by a chain 59 from the main shaft i6.

At two locations below the belt 2 are relatively narrow rollers 5! and62. These rollers are arranged at the side of the channel 53 oppositethe belt 5 and the roller 52. These rollers 5I and 62 are located alsoslightly back fromA the downwardly extending end of the belt 5 andalsoahead of the brush 5l, and further in such a position that theirupper peripheral portions `extend above the bottoms of the pockets inthe belt 2,'so that the fish, when travelling over Ithe rollers Eil and62, are pressed upwardly against the bridge plate il. This compressingforce tends to squeeze or urge the entrails toward the head end. Thus,the entrails are more easily lextracted when the head is removed, andany torn entrails are more easily drawn from the bodies by the brush 5|and roller 52.

The fish are cut to the desired length by a circular cutter ll, one foreach side of the machine. Each cutter is axially adjustable on a 'shaft'l2 which is carried at the free end of a frame l pivoted at its otherend on the main shaft I5, there being one of such frames at each end ofthe shaft. The shaft 12 is driven by a chain 'Hi from the shaft l5. Theframe I3 extends in an angular direction from the shaft i6 opposite tothat of. the frame lll, and is also limited in its downward position bya chain l5, or other suitable means.

, structed my machine that the fish cleaned thereby may be cut therebyto various lengths by only slight manipulation and adjustment. Thisadjustment is effected by the axial shifting of the cutter li and by thecorresponding lateral shifting of the discharge end of the belt 3, thatis, by the axial shifting of its supporting sprocket l on the driveshaft 9. The belt 3 is of such length that the sprocket l may be easilyshifted a considerable distance without binding, friction or loss ofefficiency.

- The upper portion of the belt is carried in a channel 8l. This channelis valso shifted laterally, at or near the discharge end of the belt 3,on a transverse support 82, and may be secured in such adjusted positionby screws 83. This shiftable channel guides the belt or chain when it isdesired to shift or adjust the discharge end of the chain laterally.

The cutter 'Il consists of a cutting disc 'Ha which is mounted on a hub'Hb and secured to the hub by a nut llc. The hub lib is adjusted axiallyon the shaft l2 and secured in the various adjusted positions by a setscrew 35.

The cutting disc may assume various cutting positions shown by solid anddotted lines, at the opposite sides o f the belt 3. In order to shiftthe cutter to theropposite sides of the belt 3, it may be raised bypivoting the same about the shaft U5. Y

Though I have shown anddescribed a particular construction, Ido not wishto be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of myinvention the construction, combi- -nation, and arrangement,substantially as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In aV machine of the class described, a belt conveyor havingtransverse sh carrying pockets, and another belt conveyor Vsynchronizedtherewith and provided with paddles extending outwardly from the latterVbelt conveyor, adjacent paddles providing openingssubstantially inalignment with the pockets of the first conveyor, the latter conveyorbeing positioned with one end lshort of the discharge end of the firstconveyor,

therewith and provided with paddles extending outwardly from the latterbelt conveyor, adjacent paddles providing openings substantially in'alignment with the pockets of the first conveyor,

the latter conveyor being positioned with one end short of the dischargeend of the rst conveyor,

the said one end of the latter conveyor being directed about arelatively short radius abruptly Vdownwardly and at a slight anglebackwardly,

to cause the paddles to be substantially whipped about a transverse axisat the said one end of ,said latter conveyor at the adjacent ends of thepockets of the first conveyor.

3. In a machine of the class described, a belt conveyor havingtransverse fish carrying pockets, another belt conveyor synchronizedtherewith and provided with paddles, the latter conveyor beingpositioned with one end short of the discharge end of the lirstconveyor, the said one end of the' latter conveyor being directedabruptly downwardly, and a cutter positioned with its cutting edgebetween the two conveyors and with itslower edge above the bottom of thepockets.

4. In a machine of the class described, a belt conveyor havingtransverse fish carrying pockets,

' another belt conveyor synchronized therewith which the latter end ofthe paddle conveyor extends downwardly.

5. In a machine of the class described, a belt conveyor havingtransverse iish-carrying pookets, another belt conveyor synchronizedtherewith and provided with paddles, the latter conveyor beingpositioned with one end short of the discharge end of the firstconveyor, the said one end of the latter conveyor being directedabruptly downwardly, and a stationary retaining plate immediately abovethe rst conveyor at the said one end of the paddle conveyor, said plateextendingV partially between the conveyors back from the downwardlydirected portion `of said latterconveyor, and partially beyond thedownwardly directed portionof the latter, to retain portions ofthe iishin the `pockets while otherl portions are forced downwardly by thepaddles.

6. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversepockets, a member, stationary with respect to the conveyor, extendingimmediately alongside the conveyor at one end of and below the pocketstherein, and a circular brush revolubly mounted at the side of themember opposite the conveyor and adapted to engage the member with itsperipheral portion for drawing entrails from the iish in the pockets ofthe conveyor.

7. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversepockets, a rod extending immediately alongside the conveyo-r at one endof and below the pockets therein, and a circular brush revolubly`mounted at the side of the rod opposite the conveyor and adapted toengage the rod with its peripheral portion for drawing entrails from theish in the pockets of the conveyor.

8. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversepockets, a long roller of small diameter extending immediately alongsidethe conveyor at one end `of and below the pockets therein, and acircular brush revolubly mounted at the side `of the roller opposite theconveyor and adapted to engage the roller with its peripheral portionfor drawing entrails from the sh in the pockets of the conveyor.

9. In a machine of the class described, a, belt conveyor havingtransverse fish carrying pockets, another belt conveyor synchronizedtherewith and provided with paddles, the later conveyor being positionedwith one end short of the discharge end of the first conveyor, the saidone end of the latter conveyor being directed downwardly, amembenstationary with respect to the rst conveyor, extending immediatelyalongside the first conveyor beyond said end of said latter conveyor andat one end of and below the pockets of the first conveyor, and acircular brush revolubly mounted at the side of the member pposite thefirst conveyor and adapted to engage the member with its peripheralportion for drawing entrails from the sh in the pockets of the firstconveyor,

l0.- In a machine` ofthe class described, a belt conveyor havingtransverse fsh carrying pockets, another belt conveyor synchronizedtherewith and provided with `1oaddles,ithe later conveyor beingpositioned withuone endishort of the discharge end of therst conveyor,the said one end of the latter conveyor being directedidownwardly, a rodextending immediately alongside I the first conveyor beyond said end ofsaid latter conveyor and at oneend of and below the vpoclretsfof theirst conveyor, and a circular brush revolubly mounted at the side of therod opposite the first conveyor and adapted to engage the rod withitsYperipheral portion for drawing `entrails from the sh in the pockets ofthe rst conveyor.

11. In a machine of the class described, abelt conveyor havingtransverse fish carrying pockets, another belt conveyor synchronizedtherewith and provided with paddles, the latter conveyor beingpositioned with one end short of the discharge end of the irst conveyor,the said one -end of the Vlatter conveyorbeing `directed downwardly, along roller of` small diameter positioned beyond said end` of saidlatter conveyor and at one end of and below the pockets of the rstconveyor, and a circular brush revolubly mounted at the side of theroller opposite the first conveyor and adapted to engage the roller withits peripheral portion for drawing entrails from the iish in the pocketsof the first conveyor.

`12. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversefish carrying pockets, means at one side of the vconveyor for removingpartially severed heads of iish carried in `said pockets, and therebyextracting entrails from i the bodies of the fish, and pressure means atthe opposite side of the conveyor for exerting pressure on the body ofthe sh near the tail end and thereby facilitating the extraction of theentrails.

13. In amachine of the class described, a -belt conveyor havingtransverse fish carryingpockets, another belt conveyor mounted along oneside of the same and synchronized therewith and provided with paddles,the latter conveyor being positioned with one end short of the dischargeend of the first conveyor, the said one end of the latter conveyor beingdirected downwardly for removing partially severed heads of iish carriedin said pockets, and thereby extracting entrails from the bodies of thefish, and pressure means at the side of the first conveyor opposite saidlatter conveyor for exerting pressure on the body of the sh near thetail end and thereby facilitating the extraction of the entrails.

14. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversepockets, a member, stationary with respect to the conveyor, extendingimmediately alongside the conveyor at one end of and below the pocketstherein, a circular brush revolubly mounted at the side of the memberopposite the conveyor and adapted to engage the member with itsperipheral portion for drawing entrails from the iish in the pockets ofthe contions of Ymeans atone side of the conveyor for removing partiallysevered heads of fish carried in said pockets, andthereby extractingentrails'from the bodies of the fish, a member, stationary with respectto the conveyor, extending immediately alongside the conveyor beyondsaid head removing means and at one end of and below the pockets of theconveyor, a circular brush revolubly mounted at the side of the memberopposite the conveyor and adapted to engage the member with itsperipheral portion for drawing entrailsrfrom the fish in the pockets ofthe conveyor, and pressure means at Ythe side of the conveyor oppositesaid brush for exerting pressure on the body of the sh neary the tailend and thereby facilitating the extraction of the entrails.

17. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor having transversefish carrying pockets, means at one side of the conveyor for removingpartially severed heads of fish carried in said pockets, and therebyextracting entrails from the bodies ofthe fish, a rod extendingimmediately alongside the conveyor beyond said head removing means andat one end of and below the pockets of the conveyor, a circular brushrevolubly mounted at the side of the rod opposite the conveyor andadapted to engage the rod with its peripheral portion for` drawingentrails from the fish in the pockets ofthe conveyor, and pressure meansat the side' of the conveyor opposite said brush for exerting pressureon the body of the fish near the tail end and thereby facilitating theextraction of the entrails.

18. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor consisting of aplurality of long synchronized belts, a pair of shafts, and sprockets oneach shaft on which the opposite ends of the belts are mounted, thesprocket at one endof one of the belts being axially adjustable on oneshaft, the sprocket at the opposite end of the latter belt being axiallyfixed.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor consisting of achronized belts, a pair of shafts, sprockets on each shaft on which theopposite ends of the belts are mounted, and guides intermediate theshafts upon whichthe upper portions of the belts ride, the sprocket atone end of one of the beltsV being axially adjustable and the adjacentend of the corresponding guide being laterally shiftable, the sprocketat the opposite end of the latter belt being axially fixed. 20. In anapparatus of the class described, a r

frame, a conveyor mounted on the frame and having transversefish-carrying pockets, each divided longitudinally into sections, thecorresponding secthe pockets forming longitudinal series of pocketsections with respect to the longitudinal extent of the conveyor, and acutter vertically movable on the frame with its cutting edge positionedto one side of one series of pocket sections of the conveyor, saidcutter being so mounted as to be raised to facilitate lateral shiftingofthe cutter from said one side of said series of pocket sections to theopposite side. f 21. `In an apparatus of the class described, a

plurality of long syn-v Vlaterally adjustable belt,

frame, a conveyor mounted on the -frame and having. transversefish-.carrying pockets, each divided longitudinally into sections, thecorresponding sections of the pockets forming longivtudinal series ofpocket' sections with respect to the longitudinal extent'of theconveyor, and a cutter vertically movable on the frame with its cuttingedger positioned to one Vside of one series of pocket sections of theconveyor and below the top thereof, said cutter being axially shiftableand so mounted as to be raised with respect to the conveyor and to beshifted to the opposite side of said one series of pocket sections.

22. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a conveyor mountedon the frame and having transverse iish-carrying pockets, each dividedlongitudinally into sections, the correspending sections of the pocketsforming longitudinal series of pocket, sections with respect to thelongitudinal extent of the conveyor, a cutter fra-ine pivoted at one endon the first frame above the conveyor, and a cutter mounted on the freeend of the cutter frame, said cutter extending with its'cutting edge toone side of one series of pocket sections of the conveyor, said cutterbeing axially adjustable on the free end of the cutter frame, saidcutter being so mounted as to be raised with the freeA end of the frameabove the conveyor and to be shifted thereover to the opposite side ofsaid one series of pocket'sections.

23. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a conveyor mountedon the frame and having transverse fish-carrying pockets, each dividedlongitudinally into sections, the corresponding sections of the pocketsforming longitudinal series of pocket sections with respect to thelongitudinal, extent of the conveyor, a cutter frame pivoted at one endon Ythe rst frame above the conveyor, and a cutter mounted on the freeend of the cutter frame, said cutter extending with its cutting edge toone side of one series of pocket sections of the conveyor, said cutterbeing axially adjustable with respect to said series of pocket sectionsand so mounted as to be raised with the free end of the cutter frameabove the conveyor, and also mounted as to be shifted laterallythereover to the opposite side of seid one series of pocket sections.

2a. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor consisting of aplurality of long synchronized belts, one of the belts being laterallyadjustable, and a vertically movable cutter frame having an exiallyadjustable cutter adapted to extend with its cutting edge to the side ofsaid said cutter being mounted so as to be raised to facilitate shiftingof the cutter from one side to the other of said laterally adjustablebelt.

25. In an apparatusofV the class described, a conveyor consisting of aplurality of long synchronized belts, a pair of shafts, sprockets oneach shaft upon which the opposite ends of the belts are mounted, thesprocket at one end of one of the belts being axially adjustable on itsshaft, the sprocket at the opposite end of the latter belt being axiallyfixed, a frame above the conveyor, and a cutter extending withitsrcutting edge between adjacent belts of the conveyor and axiallyadjustable on the frame, said cutter being mounted so as to be capableofbeing raised above and shifted laterallyover the laterally adjustablebelt.

v ANDREW L. CHRISTIANSEN.

